Gnocchi Sorrento-style baked in the oven, a truly delicious first course that is both tasty and easy to make.
The dough is the classic one made from potatoes and flour, while the dressing is made with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil.
Sorrento-style gnocchi are easy to prepare: besides boiling, they require a few minutes in the oven so the mozzarella melts further and the top becomes slightly crunchy.
For excellent Sorrento-style gnocchi, it is best to use starchy white potatoes, as they are older and less watery, allowing for less flour usage during mixing.
Avoid using new potatoes, as they are watery and would release moisture into the flour.
Once the potatoes are mashed, they should be mixed quickly with the flour, just enough to compact the dough. Overworking the mass releases more water from the potatoes. Remember, the perfect gnocchi ratio, which melts in the mouth and not in the water, is 2.2 pounds of cooked potatoes to 1 3/4 – 2 1/4 cups of flour.
Sorrento-style gnocchi are characterized by a sauce that can also be made with fresh cherry tomatoes. Additionally, you can substitute the mozzarella with buffalo mozzarella, scamorza, or smoked provola cheese.
Simple Mediterranean flavors that become exquisite thanks to the creamy stringy consistency of the dressing.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4/6
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 549.74 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 70.50 (g) of which sugars 2.19 (g)
- Proteins 22.92 (g)
- Fat 21.43 (g) of which saturated 10.85 (g)of which unsaturated 2.39 (g)
- Fibers 6.09 (g)
- Sodium 927.98 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 190 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs potatoes (weight when cooked)
- 1 3/4 – 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- salt
- 1 tomato sauce (750 ml bottle)
- 7 oz fiordilatte (or provola or buffalo mozzarella)
- as needed grated Parmesan cheese
- leaves basil
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Tools
- Pot
- Pastry Board
- Potato Masher
- Gnocchi Board
- Casserole
Steps for Sorrento-style Gnocchi
First, let’s cook the potatoes.
Wash and boil the potatoes with their skin in salted water.
When the potatoes are ready and still hot, peel them and mash them on a floured surface.
At this point, add the egg and adjust the salt.
Knead well until you get a smooth, compact, lump-free dough.
“The amount of flour may vary depending on the quality and wateriness of the potatoes.”
Divide the dough and form logs about 1 inch thick each.
With a knife or a dough scraper, cut the logs into small pieces.
Quickly roll them with your fingers over the gnocchi board to give them the classic shape.
(Shape each gnocchi with a fork or the appropriate tool, or simply leave them smooth). Personal preference.
Place the prepared broccoli gnocchi on a slightly floured surface using semolina flour.
Meanwhile….
In a saucepan, pour a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, add a whole clove of garlic. As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, pour the tomato sauce into the pan.
Cook for an hour, stirring occasionally. (Remove the garlic halfway through cooking).
Adjust the salt at the end of cooking, and flavor with basil leaves.
The sauce will be ready when it becomes thick.
Cut the fiordilatte into pieces and grate the cheese.
Cook the gnocchi in plenty of salted water.
Remove them with a slotted spoon and season with the prepared sauce.
At this point, distribute the seasoned gnocchi in a baking dish.
Spread the bottom of the dish, fill with half the gnocchi, sprinkle with diced mozzarella, cover with remaining gnocchi and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Put the dish in the oven to bake at 392°F for about 10 minutes.
Serve the Sorrento-style gnocchi hot.
Enjoy your meal!
Tips
Tips
Notes
If you prepare them in advance, it’s best to cook them and immediately pass them into a bowl with cold water to cool them.
Then take them out with a slotted spoon and place them in an oiled baking dish, cover them, and keep them cool until needed, at which point you will reheat them in the sauce.
